Process of cleaning fabrics



- and resistance a) perspiration.

Patented June 4, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IORD H. MOBERTY, 0F POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE DE LAVALSEP- ARATOR COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N.

Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS or CLEANING FABRIGS,

No Drawing. Application filed May 19,

My invention relates to the cleansing of fabrics and more particularlyto the cleaning of fabrics by the so-called dry cleaning process whereinthe fabrics are SubJected to the action of' gasoline or other solvent.In this process, the solvent, with use, hecomes discolored,- and it issubjected to treatment adapted to eflect its decolorization;

While such processes are superior to older cleaning processes inimportant respects, 1t is found that, after cleaning, and particularlyafter cleaning several times, certain valuable qualities possessed bynew fabrics become lost or seriously impaired.- Among these qualitiesare that appearance and feel knownas sheen, ability to hold a crease,

These qualities are dependent on the fabric containing small amounts offatty or wax-like substances. 1

-In dry cleaning. processes these substances are wholly or largel withthe resultant loss 0 the desirable -qualities specified. It is known,however,

to add to the cleaning solvent varying amounts of soap containingfreefatty acids and fats. Since these are relatively non-volatile, theywould, to some extent, remain in the fabric after drying and tend topreserve, to a degree, the desirable qualities of the new fabric. Theordinary gasoline that is commonly used as a solvent also contains asmall percentage of high boiling sub stances that would remain in thefabric after drying.

Those processes, however, wherein the solvent, such as gasoline, issubjected to a decolorizin treatment are not well suited for the use 0cleaners soaps or fats as additions to the solvent, because suchsubstances are destroyed or removed by the treating agents,-

usually sulfuric acid and alkalies, used to dissolve color. Furthermore,the new so-. called safety solvents have none of the high boilingsubstances, and in the use of these safety solvents this possible sourceof sub stances adapted to preserve the qualities of new fabrics iseliminated.

Inasmuch as the use of safety solvents and their decolorization forre-use are demanded by those engaged in commercial dry cleaning andafford, in material respects, cleaning agents of superior efliciency, itis important, if possible, to render them dissolved out, a

1921. 'Serial No. 192,794.

incapable of destroying or seriously impairing desirable qualities ofnew fabrics. This is the object of my invention.

I have discovered that if a small amount of paraflin wax (between oneand ten per cent) be added to gasoline or to any other equivalentcleaning solvent in which parafiin wax is soluble, it will accomplishthe desired object. Parafiin wax is inert toward the chemicalsordinarily used for decolorizing the solvent. It therefore is alwayspresent in the solvent, no matter how often it has been subjected tochemical decolorizingtreatments. When the fabric is subjected tocentrifugal extraction, a small amount of the solvent always remains inthe fabric.

When this absorbed or adhering solvent stantial proportion thereof,remains in the fabric after the solvent has evaporated, and this Waximparts to the fabric the qualities of sheen, capacity to hold a creaseand resistance to perspiration, that would otherwise be lost.

As an example of a process and apparatus 5 for dry cleaning to which myinvention is applicable may be specified the process and apparatus setforth in the Flowers Patent No. 1,545,091, dated July 7, 1925,.

The invention is adaptable to any cleaning fiuid having a boiling pointthat is low rela tively to that of paraffin wax and in which theparafiin wax is soluble. Low boiling mineral oil hydrocarbons such asgasoline and. cleaners naphtha, coal tar derivatives such as benzol;hydrogenation solvents such as dekalin, hexalin' and tetralin;turpentine; the chlorinated solvents, such as iloroform. carbontetrachloride, tetrachlorethylene and trichlorethylene; and solutions ofwhich any low boiling hydrocarbon is a constituent: are examples ofcleaning or washing solvents in which, in my process, the paraffin waxmay preparatory to using the' fluid comprises washing a fabric with asolution of cleaning liquid and paraflin wax.

2. The process of cleaning fabrics which comprises washing a fabric witha solution of cleaning liquid and parafiin wax, expelling from thefabric a substantial proportion of the solution, and then expelling fromthe fabric by evaporation substantially the remainder of the cleaningliquid, leaving in the fabric a substantial amount of parafiin wax.

3. The process of cleaning fabrics which comprises washing a fabric witha solution of -a comparatively low boiling hydrocarbon liquidconstituting. the major part of the solution and paraflin waxconstituting a minor part of the solution.

4. A liquid for Washing fabrics the dominant properties of whichcomprises a cleaning liquid having a boiling range not substantiallyhigher than that of commercial gasoline, the liquid carrying in solutionfrom one to ten per cent of paraffin wax.

5. The process of cleaning fabrics which comprises washing a fabric witha cleaning liquid carrying in solution not less than one per cent andnot more than ten per cent of paraflin wax.

6. The process of cleaning fabrics which comprises washing a fabric witha solution at least ninety per cent of which comprises a cleaning fluidhaving a boiling range not substantially higher than that of commercialgasoline, the remaining part of the solution being )rincipally paraflinwax.

7. The process of cleaning fabrics which comprises washing a fabric witha solution of a comparatively low boiling cleaning liquid and betweenone and ten per cent of parafiin wax, mechanically expelling from thefabric a substantial proportion of the entire solution, and thenexpelling from the fabric by evaporation substantially the remainder ofthe cleaning liquid, leaving in the fabric substantially only theparafiin wax not mechanically expelled.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, atPoughkeepsie, Y., on this 14th day of May, 1927. FORD H. MCBERTY.

